5 Tips for Getting Better Pictures of Your Littles with Mindy from @hopefeathers

November 14, 2017

Here are some amazing photo tips from our one and only Mindy with @hopefeathers! Sometimes we got to call in the professionals for some great tips and tricks. Love learning from the best! Enjoy!~

I LOVE Instagram. It’s a small micro blog that holds all my memories beautifully in chronological order. But I wouldn’t call myself a “blogger”. I started a blog the day I found out I was pregnant with my oldest daughter Vivienne. That was over 6 years ago! I began my blog as a way to connect with family that lived a bit too far away and as a place to document memories. Fast forward six years and three daughters, and my blog is still that. I am not the most faithful blogger. I certainly don’t have all the answers. And most of the time I am winging it with a latte in hand and a toddler or two on my lap. But I think that all moms agree that the more kids you have, the harder it is to “nail the shot” of them all. That being said, I have a couple tips for accomplishing this feat. So here is a bit of my wisdom and a few tips for better photography:

1. Don’t worry about smiles. If you line them all up and expect gorgeous smiles from them all, you will quickly turn into a fire breathing dragon mama whispering empty threats to force compliance. Trust me. I’ve been there! So instead, let them be candid! If that means shooting a photo from behind so you don’t see their cranky faces, SO BE IT!

2. Give them a prop or activity. My girls will gladly let me take photos of them when they are crafting, playing, and creating chaos. And some props just make the photo even cuter! Like playing at a playground, coloring, or enjoying an ice cream cone or lollipop. Which, of course leads me to my next tip:

3. I am all about bribes. We have a jar of chocolate chips in our kitchen specifically used for photoshoots. And for Mommy. Enough said.

4. Prepare to be a dork. Like for real. The bigger a dork I become, the bigger the smiles the girls give. I tell a TON of potty jokes, make strange noises and chase them for tickle fights. And it works! For now. I’m sure this strategy may need to be altered as the girls become Tweens! Yikes!

5. My last tip is to stay calm. Kiddos can smell stress. I swear the girls can tell when I have a “high pressure” photo shoot required for a client or brand or whatever because they loose their minds and I do to. We all just need to calm down! Worst case scenario, it’s not perfect. And is that really all that bad? None of us are perfect… so our photos shouldn’t be either!

I hope that these tips are helpful! But the biggest tip I have is to PRACTICE! I take photos almost every day. I bring my camera everywhere, even if it’s just my phone. And most of all, HAVE FUN! We have a fun job as mamas to photograph memories that will be cherished for years!